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IllinoisJo is responding to the Covid-19 crisis

​This neck gaiter is a versatile accessory that can be used as a face covering, headband, bandana, wristband, and neck warmer. Upgrade your accessory game and find a matching face shield for each of your outfits.

CDC on Homemade Cloth Face CoveringsCDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.

Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.​

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Sesame oil contains vitamin E, which can help protect skin cells from the damage caused by environmental factors, such as UV rays, pollution, and toxins. Sesame oil also contains several phenolic compounds, which give it its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.Soap makers will enjoy making this recipe as much as we'll all enjoy bathing with it!

INSTRUCTIONSBeef Prep: Freeze beef for 30 minutes – 1 hour for easier slicing. Slice against the grain, into very thin strips. Toss the beef strips with a generous pinch of coarse salt and let it rest while you prep everything else. (All of this is optional but recommended for flavor and texture.)

Sauce: Whisk the sauce ingredients together.

Stir Fry Time: Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add a swish of oil. Working in batches, add the beef in a single layer. Let rest, undisturbed, for a minute or two to achieve a nice browning on the meat. Flip each piece over and cook until browned and yummy. Remove beef from pan.

Broccoli: Add a swish of oil to the same pan. Add the broccoli; stir fry for 2-3 minutes, until bright green. (Sometimes I add a splash of water to steam it a little bit.) Remove broccoli from pan.

Finally: Turn the heat down and let the pan cool a bit. Add one last swish of oil. Add the ginger and garlic; sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the sauce; stir until a thickened and sticky sauce forms. Add beef and broccoli back in. Toss gently to coat.

YUM! Serve with rice, thinly sliced green onions, and sesame seeds.

NOTESIt’s easier to get a nice sear on the meat if it’s mostly dry when it goes into the hot skillet, which is why I am not recommending marinating the meat in the sauce. When you marinate it in the sauce, it gets wet, which makes it cook differently in the pan (more like steaming – not as good as a nice browned sear).

Vegan option: Sliced tempeh is delicious and works wonderfully in this recipe! I would recommend letting it marinate in a little bit of the sauce before cooking to get the best flavor.

Rice Amounts: 1 1/2 cups rice, 2 1/4 cup water, a pinch of salt. Add to the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes, and allow for natural pressure release (this should give you enough rice for 4 very generous servings).

Use this spreadsheet to help guide your supply purchases.
Each oil, butter, fat, or wax has its own unique soap making qualities. Knowing which to purchase without having to buy samples, make soap, THEN, finally, after waiting months of curing use the soap to determine the qualities of your oils can save lots of time and money.

Once you've had some practice with making cold process soap you'll undoubtedly want to become more creative and intricate with your designs. Many soap makers do this by incorporating swirls or embedding objects (or other soap). Here's a fantastic base recipe just for this purpose. It is slow to "trace" which will give you more time to create incredible imagery.

Jojoba! I've become completely obsessed with jojoba! Jojoba is a shrub that is grows in dry regions of northern Mexico and the southwestern US. Jojoba oil and wax are produced from the seeds and used for medicine. Jojoba is applied directly to the skin for acne, psoriasis, sunburn, and chapped skin sooooooooo I figure why not throw it in my body butter and CP soap! It's ended up being a staple here at IllinoisJo along with colloidal oatmeal, activated charcoal and matcha tea powder. No no no. I'm not saying that your soap sucks (yes i am). No, I'm not saying that you HAVE to try jojoba soap (yes i am). I'm just saying that you........ Fuck it! Just stfu and go get some jojoba for crusty lips and knuckles ya damn pile of ash. 🤣😂😜😎

Bastille Soap is a soap that is largely made from olive oil but with other oils, fats or butters added to the saponification process. Bastille soap is at least 70% olive oil and here is one of our bastille recipes.

Castile is another single oil recipe. It's make from 100% olive oil and is considered to be one of the most luxurious soaps there is. Not only is it used as a bath soap but also as a dishwashing soap, laundry detergent and booster, or shampoo for people or pets!

This is a go to for many soapers who are low on funds or need simplicity. Coconut oil is very cleansing which is why you'll want a high superfat to help compensate. I'll be using 76 degree with 35% superfat from coconut, avocado, and olive oil. I've added colloidal oatmeal and beeswax.

Here's a very simple recipe that many new soap makers use to practice on. Often a few of them will make this recipe the only one they use. It will create a decently hard bar with great lather and won't leave many people's skin too dry. It is made with NaOH (lye), distilled water, and only four carrier oils: Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Olive Oil, and Castor Oil. Each has been known to create fantastic single oil bars. Have you tried this recipe before? Tell us what your experience was with it in the comment section below! If you'd like to try this recipe from IllinoisJo please leave us a message and we'll make some just for you!

Few ingredients. Lots of love! Ask us to create a new recipe JUST FOR YOU! We welcome all needs from moisturizing properties to lather feel and texture to fragrance or exfoliant. Don't worry. We'll do all the hard stuff, while you await your Handmade Homemade Gentle Safe Locally Sourced Soap!​IllinoisJo Making Grandma Proud